The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1887-08-05
THE SUPREME COURT.
Bits of Medieval Etiquette Resurrected ia
the Benefit oT This Body.

Bits of Medieval Etiquette Resurrected for
the Benefit Of This Body.
The assembling of the Supreme
Court at Washington ON the second
Monday in October is always the oe-
casion of the beginning OF the eere.
monial courtesies. which are annually
exchanged between the coordinate
powers of the Government The Chiei
Justice and Associates, in their robes
of office, take their seats upon the Su-
preme bench and begin their sessions.
After preliminary directions as to the
commencement of business the court
adjourns. Having laid aside theii
robes the Court in body, attended by
its own officers and accompanied 10y
the Attorney-General and the Solicitor
General. proceed 10 the Executive
Mansion and. being formally an
nounced, are received by the President
in the audience parlOr. The Chiei
Justice congratulated the President
upon his appearance and good health.
After the Associates in turn present
their compliments, the Court retires.
1t would then be custom TO leave a
card at the residence OF the Vice. -Presi.
uenI- lnat ni2n luiiCilOIldTF DcilH en-
officIo chief officer of the upper body
of Congress, the second coordinate
branch of the Government. The Presi-
dent never returning a call in form.
except that of a sovereign, ruler of q
country or member of royal family
visiting Washington, does not return
the call of the Court. During the sea-
son. however. it is custom for him 10
give a state dinner in its honor.
The Nice-President or President pro
temporc of the Senate, if in the citv
or within 4 reasonable time after his
return, leaves a return card at the resi-
dence of the Chief Justice. This in
troductory ceremonial occasion is fol-
lowea by calls of etiquette among the
members of the court and their ladies
in society, the Associates first calling
upon the Chief Justice and then junior
upon senior Justices, return calls be-
ing made in the same order of preced-
ence. The ladies of the court are al
home on Mondays during the season,
at which time persons in social rela-
tions with the court circle or others i'm
polite society may call, the dress on
these occasions being afternoon or
street costume. These Mondays at
home give rise to general movement
in social circles, followed by round
of courtesics in advance of the rush OF
gayety in fashionable life, which comes
late during the Congressional and Adj
ministration seasons. The code of
etiquette of the Supreme Court circle
was founded on the early social prac-
tees of the old school of manners
established by the first President and
his wife and incorporated into the
social regime of the court by its first
Chief Justice. The pre-eminent public
services of John Jay and the high
social inheritance and accomplishments
of his wife. daughter of William Liv-
ingston, of the distinguished colonial
family of that name, gave the first Of
fetal and social environments of the
judicial circle, degree of dignity and
prominence which has been maintained
through the seven succeeding eminent
iurists who have worn the ermine of the
Chief Jnstice.-N y. Home Journal.